A gaming system and method which includes enabling a player to initiate a play of a game, for the initiated play of the game: (i) randomly generating a game outcome, (ii) displaying to the player the randomly generated game outcome, (iii) determining any award associated with the displayed game outcome, and (iv) displaying to the player any determined award, enabling the player to invite a quantity of other players to each initiate a play of at least one game, the quantity of other players being greater than zero, and if the player invited the quantity of other players, providing the player a benefit, an amount of the benefit being based on the quantity of other players invited.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A gaming system comprising: a processor; and a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: for a first play of a game which occurs when a player is associated with a first rate of earning loyalty points: determine a first game outcome, communicate data which results in a display device displaying the determined first game outcome, determine any award associated with the displayed first game outcome, communicate data which results in the display device displaying any determined award associated with the displayed first game outcome, and determine based, at least in part, on the first rate of earning loyalty points, any loyalty points to accumulate, and responsive to the player purchasing a second, different rate of earning loyalty points: for a second play of the game which occurs when the player is associated with the second, different rate of earning loyalty points: determine a second game outcome, communicate data which results in the display device displaying the determined second game outcome, determine any award associated with the displayed second game outcome, communicate data which results in the display device displaying any determined award associated with the displayed second game outcome, and determine based, at least in part, on the second, different rate of earning loyalty points, any loyalty points to accumulate.
2. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the second, different rate of earning loyalty points is one of a plurality of different purchasable rates of earning loyalty points.
3. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein a first purchase amount is associated with a first second rate of earning loyalty points and a second, higher purchase amount is associated with a second, higher second rate of earning loyalty points.
4. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the determinations of any loyalty points occur independent of at least one of: any player activity and any of the outcomes determined in association with any of the plays of any of the games.
5. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the determinations of any loyalty points occur based on at least one: at least one player activity, and at least one of the outcomes determined in association with at least one of the plays of at least one of the games.
6. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the first play of the game and the second play of the game are part of a gaming session.
7. The gaming system of claim 1 , wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to communicate the data over a wireless network to a display device of a mobile device.
8. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising: for a first play of a game which occurs when a player is associated with a first rate of earning loyalty points: determining, by a processor, a first game outcome, displaying, by a display device, the determined first game outcome, determining, by the processor, any award associated with the displayed first game outcome, displaying, by the display device, any determined award associated with the displayed first game outcome, and determining, by the processor, based, at least in part, on the first rate of earning loyalty points, any loyalty points to accumulate, and responsive to the player purchasing a second, different rate of earning loyalty points: for a second play of the game which occurs when the player is associated with the second, different rate of earning loyalty points: determining, by the processor, a second game outcome, displaying, by the display device, the determined second game outcome, determining, by the processor, any award associated with the displayed second game outcome, displaying, by the display device, any determined award associated with the displayed second game outcome, and determining, by the processor, based, at least in part, on the second, different rate of earning loyalty points, any loyalty points to accumulate.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second, different rate of earning loyalty points is one of a plurality of different purchasable rates of earning loyalty points.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein a first purchase amount is associated with a first second rate of earning loyalty points and a second, higher purchase amount is associated with a second, higher second rate of earning loyalty points.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the determinations of any loyalty points occur independent of at least one of: any player activity and any of the outcomes determined in association with any of the plays of any of the games.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the determinations of any loyalty points occur based on at least one: at least one player activity, and at least one of the outcomes determined in association with at least one of the plays of at least one of the games.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first play of the game and the second play of the game are part of a gaming session.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the display device comprises a display device of a mobile device.
15. The method of claim 8 , which is operated through a data network.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the data network is selected from the group consisting of: an internet and a wireless network.
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September 20, 2017
December 4, 2018
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